What can I do now to prepare for when my boyfriend and I start the K-1 process later?

[Teacake 76]

My boyfriend is a U.S. citizen and I am an Australian citizen. We have been dating for a year and 8 months and have met in person 3 times now. Each time, I have been the one to travel to him because it works out for our situation best. I'm  in my last year of university now, very beginning of the first semester and we are planning to begin our K-1 visa process once I finish my course in November. If all goes according to plan, by that time, he will already be working a steady job full-time and so the financial requirement for the sponsor shouldn't be a problem.

 

I'm very eager for the day that we can finally buy a one-way ticket and put all this long distance craziness behind us, but until that time comes, I was wondering what I can do -now- to hopefully help speed the visa process along once we get started. Does the beneficiary (me) need to send any evidence? My boyfriend has my boarding passes to the U.S. (a souvenir I gave him) and I have my boarding passes to get home.

 

Thank you!

Edited March 4, 2017 by Bunny1
More information.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Start by reading up on the guides and tips here:

 

Really not a ton you can do at this moment as the I-129F is mostly just paperwork that can be scanned back and forth.

 

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1tips

[pantonia 39]

Right now you can only accumulate evidence. Boarding passes aren't main evidence, since they only show you were in the same country, not that you were together in person. Just collect lots of photos of you together, and of you with each other's friends and family. Something I did that was pretty useful, was to put the pictures as evidence through screenshots of our social media. That way you can show the dates and that it's "official" by seeing the likes/comments of other people. Other people suggest chat logs, but that's also no main evidence, so it's only really useful on hard embassies to pile on top of photos.

 

good luck!

[Teacake 76]

Thank you both for your helpful replies! We're both quite camera shy and don't actually have a lot of pictures together so that is definitely one I will get on to during our next trip together. Are selfies okay? And is it better for the pictures to be taken at some scenic location or something (not just in the house, for example)?

[Tom169 54]

6 minutes ago, Bunny1 said:

Thank you both for your helpful replies! We're both quite camera shy and don't actually have a lot of pictures together so that is definitely one I will get on to during our next trip together. Are selfies okay? And is it better for the pictures to be taken at some scenic location or something (not just in the house, for example)?

You're looking for evidence of being together in person in the last two years of filing the I-129F.

 

Whether that's a selfie in a basement or a photo Infront of a landmark it really doesn't matter. 

[pantonia 39]

4 minutes ago, Bunny1 said:

Thank you both for your helpful replies! We're both quite camera shy and don't actually have a lot of pictures together so that is definitely one I will get on to during our next trip together. Are selfies okay? And is it better for the pictures to be taken at some scenic location or something (not just in the house, for example)?

I get the camera shy thing, you'll just to make it a conscious decision for the immigration process. Scenic locations/landmarks are definitely best. What helps the most I think though is photos with other people, especially family. Anything that will make it look real instead of "we are fake and we are taking these 10 pictures in the same couch because we intend to not see each other much more and nobody outside this house knows about us" . Most of our photos were selfies, but a couple of times we asked strangers to take a photo of us and we had one photo of my husband with my mom.

[Teacake 76]

3 minutes ago, pantonia said:

I get the camera shy thing, you'll just to make it a conscious decision for the immigration process. Scenic locations/landmarks are definitely best. What helps the most I think though is photos with other people, especially family. Anything that will make it look real instead of "we are fake and we are taking these 10 pictures in the same couch because we intend to not see each other much more and nobody outside this house knows about us" . Most of our photos were selfies, but a couple of times we asked strangers to take a photo of us and we had one photo of my husband with my mom.

That makes a lot of sense!! I figured keeping up positive, social appearances would have something to do with it even a little bit. I'll be on a photo mission then, haha. Thank you so much for your help! 

[Art786 275]

17 hours ago, Bunny1 said:

My boyfriend is a U.S. citizen and I am an Australian citizen. We have been dating for a year and 8 months and have met in person 3 times now. Each time, I have been the one to travel to him because it works out for our situation best. I'm  in my last year of university now, very beginning of the first semester and we are planning to begin our K-1 visa process once I finish my course in November. If all goes according to plan, by that time, he will already be working a steady job full-time and so the financial requirement for the sponsor shouldn't be a problem.

 

I'm very eager for the day that we can finally buy a one-way ticket and put all this long distance craziness behind us, but until that time comes, I was wondering what I can do -now- to hopefully help speed the visa process along once we get started. Does the beneficiary (me) need to send any evidence? My boyfriend has my boarding passes to the U.S. (a souvenir I gave him) and I have my boarding passes to get home.

 

Thank you!

 

Think you are in wrong forum since he is moving to Australia, you should find out what is the process in your country.Requirements may be similar but every country has its own laws.

[Teacake 76]

Just now, Art786 said:

Think you are in wrong forum since he is moving to Australia, you should find out what is the process in your country.Requirements may be similar but every country has its own laws.

No no, I'm the one that will be moving to the states! Maybe it's rare for the beneficiary to be the active one on VJ.

[Art786 275]

3 minutes ago, Art786 said:

Think you are in wrong forum since he is moving to Australia, you should find out what is the process in your country.Requirements may be similar but every country has its own laws.

 

Oh ok, misunderstand .Good source of info is on youtube, watch some videos about it. All documents needs to be submitted by sponsor. So he will needs to send copies of your boarding passes make color copies of your passport with entry's to USA ( In American passport can not see a passport number when you open it and make a copy of entry stamps so i just folded the page so passport number and stamps are visible )  as  front page with your picture on it so the numbers are matching . Pictures of both of you in US  best with some landmarks, I send in copy of hotel receipt with my hers and receptionist signature on it, if you have credit card receipt from places you went and corresponding picture , and any proof that you meet him within 2 years, date the pictures and write where it was taken. And rest of documents that are required he can find all info on K1 visa site . Best do it sunest posible there maybe up to 3 months wait to get approved You may get lucky and get approved after 30 days but some people wait for 5 months. When he have all documents  ready, check it and go over it for 4-5 days and make sure all is good ,looking at it that way you may find something that is incomplete some documents needs to be sign by you and original is needed so copy may give you RFE ( request for more evidence ) and that would delay process about a month.He can do it all by him self, lawyer is not necessary.make copies of everything just in case. Good luck.              

[Teacake 76]

5 minutes ago, Art786 said:

He can do it all by him self, lawyer is not necessary.make copies of everything just in case. Good luck.              

Thank you! The next time we meet, we're going to pay extra attention to gathering lots of good evidence.

[Art786 275]

10 minutes ago, Bunny1 said:

Thank you! The next time we meet, we're going to pay extra attention to gathering lots of good evidence.

 

Good luck. Possibly you may have enough evidence now, and can start process, it is a long wait before all done   

[Wooderz 314]

Read the k1 guide here and get familiar with the entire process from start to finish. You'll be less stressed if you have an idea of how each step of the process works. 

 

Photos are actually secondary evidence. Your passport stamps and boarding passes are primary evidence.

 

Just work to keep collecting primary evidence and some secondary evidence. I only sent about 5 photos, and a screenshot of my phone log. But I included all of our passport stamps over the years.

 

Additionally, I'd encourage you both to save as much money now as you can. Immigration is an expensive endeavor. In addition to all the fees and expenses that come with the k1, you'll need even more for AOS. You'll be out of work for several months. Your lives will be easier if you have the money to withstand being out of work and can file for AOS as soon as you're married. 

[Teacake 76]

38 minutes ago, Wooderz said:

Read the k1 guide here and get familiar with the entire process from start to finish. You'll be less stressed if you have an idea of how each step of the process works. 

 

Photos are actually secondary evidence. Your passport stamps and boarding passes are primary evidence.

 

Just work to keep collecting primary evidence and some secondary evidence. I only sent about 5 photos, and a screenshot of my phone log. But I included all of our passport stamps over the years.

 

Additionally, I'd encourage you both to save as much money now as you can. Immigration is an expensive endeavor. In addition to all the fees and expenses that come with the k1, you'll need even more for AOS. You'll be out of work for several months. Your lives will be easier if you have the money to withstand being out of work and can file for AOS as soon as you're married. 

So that would mean scanning the stamps page of my passport, right? Also, I'll definitely keep money in mind. I hadn't realised how important it would be to save. I read through the guide and am just confirming now: only the sponsor sends the evidence through during the initial stage of the visa process right? (And possibly again if hit with an RFE, if I understand correctly.) I won't be sending any evidence on my part?

[geowrian 22,337]

4 minutes ago, Bunny1 said:

So that would mean scanning the stamps page of my passport, right? Also, I'll definitely keep money in mind. I hadn't realised how important it would be to save. I read through the guide and am just confirming now: only the sponsor sends the evidence through during the initial stage of the visa process right? (And possibly again if hit with an RFE, if I understand correctly.) I won't be sending any evidence on my part?

The I-129F is almost entirely about the petitioner. The only things you will need to provide are a signed letter of intent to marry and a signed G-325A. There are a few other optional documents but I doubt those apply to your case (see the guide for details). The rest is all on the petitioner. That said, proof of meeting at least once within the past 2 years should be done by both of you. My fiancee sent some documents and I provided some others. Just remember the goal is to show proof of meeting within the past 2 years. Photos are secondary evidence...proving a date they were taken is difficult...location can be OK if it's a well-known landmark that the CO recognizes (but I wouldn't rely on that). Screenshots from things like Facebook are also secondary (it's quite easy to back-date photos there). Keep it simple...just keep the goal in mind and you'll be just fine.